The American dream holds a different connotation for everyone who hears it. But, for immigrants, the American dream signifies a new beginning and the possibility to rid themselves of the hardships from their home country. Keeping this in mind, whenever I open a news article or log onto a news site, I happen across articles upon articles on the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and their disregard for citizens of the United States. In fact, just two weeks ago the American Civil Liberties Union released a new article on a case between two residents of Havre, Montana and their interaction with a Customs and Border Protection agent.

With more than 20 temporary (or nonimmigrant) worker and five permanent worker visa classifications, obtaining an employment-related visa is difficult and confusing. Each visa has a specific use and necessary criteria that must be met. One of the most popular options available is the “extraordinary ability” visa.

When a 21-year-old punk from Mexico City known as Brujo made his way to West Philadelphia in 1998, he found a thriving creative community amid the DIY music venues and improvised artist studios, and a place to live in a once-abandoned house known as Squirrel Squat.

“I found a paradise in West Philly,” he said recently. “It was like 2 a.m., and people said, ‘Brujo, do you want pizza?’ I said, ‘Really? It’s 2 a.m.’ They said, ‘Yeah! Let’s go to the dumpster!’ ”

As we approach the second calendar quarter, we’re entering that precarious time when many begin to flail and outright fail with their New Year’s resolutions—no matter how impassioned or well-intentioned they were at the time of inception. This phenomenon is so pervasive that a litany of studies are “peeling back the onion” to reveal exactly why so many are unsuccessful in fulfilling career, life and self-enhancing promises we’ve made to ourselves.

More recently, a working paper from researchers at George Mason University released this month said that immigrant-owned firms in the tech industry had “uniformly higher rates of innovation” than firms run by U.S. citizens in 15 of the 16 measures they surveyed.

Mental illness is one of the leading causes of suicide in our immigrant communities in the USA and yet we fail to recognize the symptoms and to seek help for those who suffer. At the time of this interview I know of at least one African immigrant who has taken his life and many others in other immigrant communities who suffer as well.

The news of 21 Savage’s detainment by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Feb. 3 elicited a range of reactions.

Most expressed outrage and heartbreak, some made jokes, and others responded with misguided apathy. Citing the thousands of voiceless immigrants who are detained by the U.S. government every single day, the latter portion suggested that paying special attention to 21 Savage’s case took away from those without flourishing rap careers and wealth, whose stories go untold.

Los Angeles- That’s a wrap! This is true as it relates to the first weekend of the Pan African Film and Arts Festival. The festival is currently underway at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and the adjacent Cinemark RAVE Theatres.
A large diverse audience has been in attendance since the festival commenced on Thursday, February 7th. Everyone agrees that the 27th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival is off to a rousing start. The festival got underway with an awesome documentary film about iconic singer Aretha Franklin entitled “Amazing Grace.”
My enjoyment of the festival began with a short film entitled “Colors of Sankofa.” A successful CEO is forced to revisit scars from her past while interviewing candidates for a new second-in-command position. Bullying and identity issues were brought up in the film.

The Pan African Film & Arts Festival celebrated its 27th Annual Opening Night with a screening of Aretha Franklin’s cherished Amazing Grace concert documentary at the Directors Guild of America. The festival, which presents an impressive slate of over 170 new Black films from the US and around the world and exhibits more than 100 fine artists and unique craftspeople, will run from Thursday, February 7 through Monday, February 18 at the Cinemark Rave 15 Theatres (3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd) and the adjacent Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in Los Angeles, California.

USCIS Statement on the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation
On Feb. 6, 2019, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL) join other U.S. government agencies and the international community in calling for an end to the practice of female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM/C).

Los Angeles-Yes, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. It’s that time of year again. It’s time for the most highly anticipated and largest Black History Month celebration in Los Angeles, if not, the largest in California.
Please pull up a seat and get ready for the 27th Annual Pan African Film and Arts Festival, scheduled from February 7-18, 2019. The festival will be at the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza and the adjacent Cinemark RAVE Theatres.